Jean Le Bel
Encyclopedia
Jean Le Bel was a Medieval Flemish chronicler. His father, Gilles le Beal des Changes, was an alderman of Liege, where Jean himself was active.
Jean was one of the first chroniclers to write in French
instead of Latin
. He was a soldier and companion of Jean, Count de Beaumont and travelled with him to England
and Scotland
in 1327. At the request of the duke, he wrote Vrayes Chroniques ("True Chronicles"), which recorded the events of the reign of Edward III
. He is believed to be the first person to use interviews to confirm and supplement his facts. Jean Froissart
was greatly influenced by him and borrowed from his texts.
Jean entered the church and became a canon of the cathedral church, but he and his brother Henri followed Jean de Beaumont
to England
in 1327 and took part in the border warfare against the Scots
. His will is dated 1369, and his epitaph gives the date of his death as 1370. Nothing more is known of his life, but Jacques de Hemricourt, author of the Miroir des nobles de Hesbaye ("Mirror of the Nobles of Hesbaye"), has left a eulogy of his character, and a description of the magnificence of his attire, his retinue and his hospitality.
Hemricourt asserts that he was eighty years old or more when he died. For a long time Jean was only known as a chronicler through a reference by Jean Froissart
, who quotes him in the prologue of his first book as one of his authorities. A fragment of his work in the manuscript of Jean d'Outremeuse
's Ly Myreur des Histors, was discovered in 1847; and the whole of his chronicle, preserved in the library of Chálons-sur-Marne
, was edited in 1863 by L. Polain.
Jean gives as his reason for writing a desire to replace a certain misleading rhymed chronicle of the wars of Edward III
by a true relation of his enterprises down to the beginning of the Hundred Years' War
. In the matter of style Lebel has been placed by some critics on the level of Froissart. His chief merit is his refusal to narrate events unless either he himself or his informant had witnessed them. This scrupulousness in the acceptance of evidence must be set against his limitations. He takes on the whole a similar point of view to Froissart's; he has no concern with national movements or politics; and, writing for the public of chivalry
, he preserves no general notion of a campaign, which resolves itself in his narrative into a series of exploits on the part of his heroes. Froissart was considerably indebted to him, and seems to have borrowed from him some of his best-known episodes, such as the death of Robert the Bruce, Edward III, and the countess of Salisbury, and the devotion of the burghers of Calais
. The songs and virelais, in the art of writing which he was, according to Hemricourt, an expert, have not come to light.
Jean remained relatively unknown in more modern times until 1861 because only fragments of his work were known to exist until that time. A complete edition of his chronicles was finally published in 1863.
Jean was one of the first chroniclers to write in French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
instead of Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
. He was a soldier and companion of Jean, Count de Beaumont and travelled with him to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
in 1327. At the request of the duke, he wrote Vrayes Chroniques ("True Chronicles"), which recorded the events of the reign of Edward III
Edward III of England
Edward III was King of England from 1327 until his death and is noted for his military success. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, Edward III went on to transform the Kingdom of England into one of the most formidable military powers in Europe...
. He is believed to be the first person to use interviews to confirm and supplement his facts. Jean Froissart
Jean Froissart
Jean Froissart , often referred to in English as John Froissart, was one of the most important chroniclers of medieval France. For centuries, Froissart's Chronicles have been recognized as the chief expression of the chivalric revival of the 14th century Kingdom of England and France...
was greatly influenced by him and borrowed from his texts.
Jean entered the church and became a canon of the cathedral church, but he and his brother Henri followed Jean de Beaumont
Jean de Beaumont
Jean Bonnin de la Bonninière Count de Beaumont was a French sport shooter who competed in the 1924 Summer Olympics.He was born in Paris....
to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 1327 and took part in the border warfare against the Scots
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. His will is dated 1369, and his epitaph gives the date of his death as 1370. Nothing more is known of his life, but Jacques de Hemricourt, author of the Miroir des nobles de Hesbaye ("Mirror of the Nobles of Hesbaye"), has left a eulogy of his character, and a description of the magnificence of his attire, his retinue and his hospitality.
Hemricourt asserts that he was eighty years old or more when he died. For a long time Jean was only known as a chronicler through a reference by Jean Froissart
Jean Froissart
Jean Froissart , often referred to in English as John Froissart, was one of the most important chroniclers of medieval France. For centuries, Froissart's Chronicles have been recognized as the chief expression of the chivalric revival of the 14th century Kingdom of England and France...
, who quotes him in the prologue of his first book as one of his authorities. A fragment of his work in the manuscript of Jean d'Outremeuse
Jean d'Outremeuse
Jean d'Outremeuse or Jean des Preis was a writer and historian who wrote two romanticised historical works and a lapidary....
's Ly Myreur des Histors, was discovered in 1847; and the whole of his chronicle, preserved in the library of Chálons-sur-Marne
Châlons-en-Champagne
Châlons-en-Champagne is a city in France. It is the capital of both the department of Marne and the region of Champagne-Ardenne, despite being only a quarter the size of the city of Reims....
, was edited in 1863 by L. Polain.
Jean gives as his reason for writing a desire to replace a certain misleading rhymed chronicle of the wars of Edward III
Edward III of England
Edward III was King of England from 1327 until his death and is noted for his military success. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, Edward III went on to transform the Kingdom of England into one of the most formidable military powers in Europe...
by a true relation of his enterprises down to the beginning of the Hundred Years' War
Hundred Years' War
The Hundred Years' War was a series of separate wars waged from 1337 to 1453 by the House of Valois and the House of Plantagenet, also known as the House of Anjou, for the French throne, which had become vacant upon the extinction of the senior Capetian line of French kings...
. In the matter of style Lebel has been placed by some critics on the level of Froissart. His chief merit is his refusal to narrate events unless either he himself or his informant had witnessed them. This scrupulousness in the acceptance of evidence must be set against his limitations. He takes on the whole a similar point of view to Froissart's; he has no concern with national movements or politics; and, writing for the public of chivalry
Chivalry
Chivalry is a term related to the medieval institution of knighthood which has an aristocratic military origin of individual training and service to others. Chivalry was also the term used to refer to a group of mounted men-at-arms as well as to martial valour...
, he preserves no general notion of a campaign, which resolves itself in his narrative into a series of exploits on the part of his heroes. Froissart was considerably indebted to him, and seems to have borrowed from him some of his best-known episodes, such as the death of Robert the Bruce, Edward III, and the countess of Salisbury, and the devotion of the burghers of Calais
Calais
Calais is a town in Northern France in the department of Pas-de-Calais, of which it is a sub-prefecture. Although Calais is by far the largest city in Pas-de-Calais, the department's capital is its third-largest city of Arras....
. The songs and virelais, in the art of writing which he was, according to Hemricourt, an expert, have not come to light.
Jean remained relatively unknown in more modern times until 1861 because only fragments of his work were known to exist until that time. A complete edition of his chronicles was finally published in 1863.